Lois

It always amazes me how there are so many really good unsigned bands around at the moment and some really bad signed ones. How does that work then? On show here tonight in Nottingham’s Jam Cafe was Lois, arguably one of the city’s finest rising acts, and who were showcasing their debut album ‘The Polperro Horse Bus Company’, which was getting its official launch here.

Now, you could say I am being biased again here. Firstly they are from my hometown and I am enormously proud of the talent on offer here, and secondly I have known these guys and have had dealings with them from the early days. I have had the chance to witness the growth and evolution of what I consider to be one of the best bands in the country today. If you don't believe me, check out the album on iTunes and see for yourself. You'll find they are a superb indie combination of 60’s music, rock and roll and funk, but you what you won’t witness is this; the pure, raw and funk-laden rock bubble that is their immense live act. I saw them in the early days, and I thought at the time that they were “quite good.”

Having not seen them for a while before this gig, I was blown away by them tonight. Lois have risen out of their cocoon of a bunch of tracks to gig on, to this majestic beast opening its wings and gorging on a rapturous audience that were loving every beat.

Blasting out tracks from the new album and also treating us to an encore, LOIS have stepped up a gear. They have still retained the raw soulful sound that they started with, but have added a blend of pure rock and roll and sixties melody to it. At one point they extended one track into a jamming session, and the lady at the side of me exclaimed, “Shit! They sound as good as the Funk Brothers!” and she wasn't wrong. Looking around the small but sardine-packed venue, every head was shaking from side to side or nodding to the funky beats or just in wonder at the mighty Lois in action. I urge you to remember the name Lois. With all the great talent coming out of this part of the world at the moment, it wouldn't surprise me if these guys aren't on the big stage soon. Marvellous! - Pennyblack Music

LOIS took to the stage to headline the gig, taking the audience through a multitude of styles and genres, including rock & roll, blues, folk, rock, soul, country and even pop. With strong vocals and harmonies, the band put on an energetic performance, which was powerful and passionate. With strong, heavy bass lines, they build around them, creating well structured songs with catchy melodies. Spanning genres they tear up solos and get innovative by changing it up with a keyboard half way through the set, which changes the pace and feel of the gig somewhat. The keyboard creates a different kind of song construction, leading possibly to ‘Be True To Yourself’, which felt like a rock infused pop ballad, beginning with vocals and keyboard, and later developing into a full band. I enjoy the various stylistic changes though, as it always keeps the audience on their toes, as no one song is the same as another. Their tracks have excellent sections, and good instrumental breakdowns, with consideration being taken into the balance of their instruments. These performers have a good stage presence, interesting music and an enthusiastic performance style, and are happy to be there, and you would have been too! - Nottingham Live

If you can count Mark Radcliffe of BBC Radio 6 Music among your supporters, then you can’t be all bad. This four-piece from Nottingham have a knack of blending their various influences into a coherent and very appealing collection of songs on this album.

Radcliffe’s assertion that Lois sound both ‘retro and absolutely contemporary’ is spot on. The melting pot of Lois seems to range from the Kinks and the Zombies to Manic Street Preachers and Suede (at least, that’s what I’m getting).

Whether it’s the gently rocking along of ‘Jeanie (Ooh La La)’ or the up tempo ‘Monkey Girl’, the songs tend to grab you after just one listen.

For my money, ‘My Precious Love’ and ‘Star Is Falling’ are the outstanding tracks from this LP, and that is saying something when you have 16 gems to choose from. There is depth, a well-thought-out running order and texture to this collection and I am sure we will be seeing a lot more of Lois in the near future. - New Untouchables

There might be something slightly wrong with you if you can’t dig the album The Polperro Horse Bus Company by Lois. I mean sixteen pop songs that unapologetically sound like some of the best rock bands from the ‘60s and ‘70s. What is there not to like?

At first the number of songs on their album may seem a bit daunting in a day and age where we consume music faster than ever before but the record goes by much faster than expected. When you break it down most of the songs are two to four minutes long and there aren't any fillers or ambient noodlings that drag on. Instead you are greeted with song after song of poppy, accessible old school rock that feels great going down.

The album opens with a ‘50s Beatles-esque song called “King Of Opinion” that you could imagine being played on The Ed Sullivan show a couple of decades ago. It's an unpretentious song that sings about being pretentious. The vocalist sings, “Get your own words / If your opinion’s king / Cos I’m sick of the pretention / All around.”

“Star is Falling” has a sing-along worthy chorus and is just all around filled with infectious hooks. Some of the little things make a difference such as the vocal harmonies and the perfect amount of crunch on the guitar. “The Polperro Horse Bus Company” has some wicked organ while “Monkey Girl” is a dance song you might have heard in 1957. One of the highlights for me was “Don't Waste Your Love Away,” which was not only catchy but had an emotional resonance that sometimes was not apparent on the other songs.

Out of sixteen songs there were surprisingly no duds in the mix. Sure some songs were better than others but none were skip worthy. Lois isn’t the only band these days revitalizing rock from a couple of decades ago. Bands like Foxygen and Ty Segall Band have attempted and succeeded at pulling off revivalist rock that doesn't sound contrived and mere imitations to the pioneers. Lois is a very welcome addition to the club and I have a feeling you will be hearing more from them soon. - The Even Grounds

The first thing that struck me when I first played Lois’ first long-player was that I was listening to a very early Manics album by mistake (no real surprise then that Guy Massey, producer and engineer of this album had previously worked with the Manics). When you explore the full 16 track release in more depth, you’ll soon realise that this is an overly simplistic view of a debut full of variety and the energy.
In case this is your first exposure to Lois, they are a Nottingham-based four-piece rock and roll band (John, Lee, Rich & Ade) who have been producing music since the turn of the 10s. Previous releases such as ‘Monkey Girl’ have received praise & airtime from such luminaries as BBC Radio’s Mark Radcliffe, and listening to the full album it’s not hard to see why.

The first thing that strikes you is there’s a bumper 16 tracks crammed into one hour of listening, the first clue to the band’s retro (60s & 70s) influences, when this was the norm. But there’s definitely a modern edge, in both subject matter and production. Familiar subjects like love, joy, melancholy and isolation are dealt with in equal measure, headlined by the bonus track (and earlier single) ‘Be True to Yourself’.

Whilst guitars and drums are the core of Lois’ sound, the Hammond organ rears it’s head from time to time to provide real depth and drive to some of the tracks, most notably on the climactic finale ‘Who Can Help You Now ?’, which has overtones of Primal Scream & Kula Shaker at their peak.

A strong start decries ‘the pretension all around’, and this is the first time we hear the lead guitar given its head; at just 2:03 long, you know you’re in for a busy hour, keeping up with the sheer pace of things. ‘Your Own Little World’ provides a little down-tempo respite, before things really start to pick up again. The secret to why this album works so well is the well-crafted marriage of distinctive vocals, simple harmonies and a driving rhythm. Overlaid with engaging, catchy lyrics (‘I’m Out For The Summer’ is a great example), and you have an addictive combination.

One or two observations to keep everything in perspective (not criticisms at all because a) I’m not a musician, unless you count Grade 6 trombone and b) there just comments to help you understand the type of music on offer here). Firstly, if you’re looking for the lyrical sophistication of, say, the Arctic’s first release, you won’t find it here, although ‘My Precious Love’ has reassuring depth. Secondly, and this is purely a personal opinion, when the lead guitar takes centre stage, some of the can sound a little as if it is being read from a script, rather than being given complete freedom to explore its range.

These are minor things, but as a package, this is a hugely impressive, uplifting combination of old school rock and roll comforts with a readily-apparent, modern twist. If you don’t find yourself singing along and tapping your feet to ‘Don’t Leave Me Ruined’, I’d recommend you go and see someone about it.

Finally, having been fortunate enough to have seen these guys live, the album does a great job of bottling some of that energy you only get with a live performance, which many bands never manage to achieve. All in all, it has been a pleasure to have listened to ‘The Polperro Horse Bus Company’ and it definitely deserves a chance to make it into your playlist … - Nottingham Live

Anyone who's been missing the good old-fashioned Brit invasion bands of the sixties will love this this latest collection of tracks from Lois. The Polperro Horse Bus Company - the band’s debut album and follow-up to 2011‘s Velvet Mornings EP - has the unmistakable resemblance to good old-fashioned sixties rock ‘n’ roll. You can hear that distinct vintage sound throughout and the tone is set by energetic opener, King of Opinion. Don’t rule it out if you’re not a fan of retro guitar bands because with its toe-tapping beats and smooth vocals, this album is guaranteed to have you dancing around your room in no time, especially when their sound is brought up-to-date, in particular on the title track. It wouldn’t be the best idea to listen to it while trying to work though; you’ll get far too distracted, singing along to the catchy lyrics. Hannah Parker - Leftlion Magazine